Eliot Recneps
by Hope Lightwing
Summary: Eliot Spencer is one of the most trusted people in Sicheres. This is why the four Stone children are placed in his care when an emergency comes up about their father. These chapters are about Eliot's interaction with each the Stone Children with a possible team reunion at the end.**I do not own Leverage characters**The Stone children are my characters**
1. The Best Babysitter ever

It was a hazy Thursday afternoon when a large dusty now grey pickup truck turned off the main road and onto a very long dirt driveway. The frogs were peeping and you could hear the clanking of a toolbox as the truck jostled along. You could see "Eliot Recneps" monogramed on the sleeve of the half-buttoned faded blue coveralls. Eliot Recneps turned off the country radio and rolled up the windows as it began to sprinkle. He slowed down as the thick forest quickly turned into fenced pastures. Many of the animals ran along the fence in greeting as Eliot drove into sight of the farmhouse with adjacent workshop and extensive vegetable and flower gardens. Eliot pushed back his bandanna that held his hair out of his face when he saw and orange car parked in front of his workshop. He parked and an anxious looking woman practically sprang out of her car and toward Eliot. Amy Stone and her four kids, Gideon, Cassandra, Ismael, and Lily all started talking at once. Well, Lily didn't really talk; she just kind of latched onto Gideon's leg with her stuffed critter and stared at everyone. All Eliot could catch in the clamor was some sort of emergency about their dad. The word "explosives" was said at least once. He placed his large callused hands on her shoulders and looked at her with his calm blue eyes.

"Ma'am," He said with his ever present southern manners and accent. "You'd best get goin'. I'll take it from here." Amy thanked him several times then she kissed her children and told them to be good. Not that the really needed to be told. No kid, who as ever met Eliot Recneps, ha ever misbehaved while he was in charge. He gave them no reason to. After he took their luggage out of the car and Amy drove away, he looked at the children as they looked at him expectantly. The side of Eliot's mouth twitched as he asked nonchalantly,

"I've got food in the in the back that I need to bring in. Want to help? I have to make a call." Four eager hands shot up in response.


	2. Gideon

The four Stone children, Gideon, Cassandra, Ismael, and Lily, had been living at the Recneps farm for the better part of a month. The younger two, Ismael who was twelve and Lily who was eight, had little trouble keeping themselves happy on the expansive farm which greatly relieved the older two, Gideon and Cassandra, from the responsibility of keeping the children's spirts up.

Now Cassandra, who was 15, had no qualms about someone hearing her in her room having a good cry now and then to let go of some of the emotional build up. Only Eliot Recneps knew what Gideon did for his own self relief.

Eliot was finishing up some paper work when he looked out the window above his desk and realized Gideon was not there in the pen. The other three Stone children were out with the new litter of puppies giggling happily as they tumbled over each other. It was late in the afternoon and he had not seen Gideon since he finished his chores. Eliot left his paperwork and strode towards the barn. Eliot had found the eighteen year old Stone son would not openly show at this tense time any negative emotions which might infringe his family's good spirits. If Gideon was completely alone only then would he let the feelings flow. Be it anger, sadness, or simply just too mixed up to define. As he slipped through the barn door several horses lifted their heads and nickered softly at his approach.

"Hey, there old girl," The young rancher said as he gently stroked behind the old mares ear. The coat had long lost is glossiness, but the eyes still held an intelligent sparkle. She rubbed her head against his shoulder in affection.

"You wouldn't have seen Gideon, have you girl?" He spoke gently in is southern twang as the horse looked toward the upper level of the barn where he kept the training equipment. He kissed the velvety old nose and then slowly climbed the staircase toward the sounds of fists hitting canvas. Eliot stood stone faced in the shadows under the window at the top of the stairs. He stood there for several minutes while watching Gideon, grunting, shirtless, and sweaty, punch and kick the living daylights out of the 150 pound sand filled boxing bag hanging at the end of the room. Eliot quietly strode closer, still unnoticed by the furiously focused fighter.

"You need to try slightly tiltin' your wrist down. Punch with your knuckles, not the flat of your fingers." Gideon whirled about and nearly gave Eliot a sucker of a left hook. Eliot caught Gideon's wrist and expertly, but gently deflected the next several blows until all the pent up feelings of the past month were all exhausted and the fury left Gideon's attacks. He collapsed with quite sobs into the strong waiting arms when all the emotion was spent. Eliot said nothing until all was left was the sound of even breathing. Finally he spoke.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Eliot said as the both of them got to their feet. He handed Gideon a clean rag. Gideon accepted it not looking him in the eyes as his feet shifted nervously at the question.

"I was teaching myself. Taking lessons when I could pay for them. There's a free-for-all competition next week. It was supposed to be a birthday present for dad when I would tell him I'd be in it." Gideon looked out the window, posture stiffening at the thought, his mind seeming far away.

"He loves this kind of stuff, not the fighting or the competing, but the art of the fight and the humility and power that comes from honorable fighting." His passion fading, Gideon looked at the painstakingly filled out forms on the bench by his clothes and picked them up.

"I was supposed to send in my paperwork today, but I'm hardly even close to being ready and I don't have the money for getting the proper anything right now. Mum's got too much on her plate to deal with right now and I am not going to make it worse. There are more important things now anyway." He threw the papers vehemently on the floor and stalked over to the rack to clean off. Eliot knelt down and picked up the carefully signed and stapled papers. He glanced over the papers, tapping them thoughtfully against his large callused hands.

"Go change your clothes." Eliot said as he headed for the stairs. Gideon huffed and looked at Eliot straight in the eye for the first time since he came up.

"Why?" Gideon said mimicking Eliot's accent. He then looked away, ashamed at his own bad attitude. Eliot paused at the top of the stars and looked at the boy understandingly, but spoke with his good natured gruffness.

"You and I are headin' into town, that's why. We're goin' to get you registered for this thing." He said pointing at Gideon with the papers.

"When we get back, I'm goin' to teach you how to fight the right way. You were one bad throw away from breakin' your arm buddy." Eliot quickly walks down the stairs, a bit excited, but not giving Gideon any time to make a reply. Gideon was stunned. In a daze he went to the house and changed his clothes. He heard a beep of a car horn. Gideon looked out a window. Eliot waved to him from his red dodge challenger with racing stripes.

"Are you comin'?" Eliot hollered. Gideon scrambled into his clothes and ran down the stairs. It's a real treat to ride in the challenger. Gideon literally hopped in shotgun with a whoop. Eliot grinned as he changed gears and raced down the long dirt drive, all the way, in reverse.


	3. Lily

Lily, the youngest of the Stone children, was trying to find her pajamas when Eliot Recneps announced that it was her turn to take a bath before bed.

"I'm trying to find my pj!" Lily answered as she feverishly dug through the suitcase that could easily swallow her whole.

"Lily" Eliot's calm voice startled Lily who promptly tumbled head first into the monstrous suitcase.

"NO! Not yet, I haven't found my pj's yet!" Came the desperate cry as Lily flailed about, trying to free herself from one of her sister's sweaters. Eliot reached over and carefully untangled the sweater from a rather wiggly Lily.

"I already have your pajamas and the tub is set to go." Eliot said as he placed Lily on the floor only to have her cling to his leg so hard she nearly cut off his circulation. "Come on Lily-Filly, what's gotten you so riled up about baths bein' scary?" Lily searched the carpet for a moment before quickly replying.

"The soap can explode! Cassandra said so!" Eliot chuckled quietly.

"No sweetheart, the soap can't explode, not anymore."

"Then I'll be elect-tree-cutie-ed" Lily retorted now jerking back and forth with sound effects.

"Or the water will turn my hair green. Ismael knows so!" Eliot pried her off his leg before she could make him fall over. He sighed and knelt down to her level. Looking her in the eye he said ever so patiently,

"None of that stuff will happen. Now stop this crazy talk and tell me the truth." Lily held up her tiny grubby foot and wiggled her toes.

"I have my stale toes on. Daddy keeps fresh toes in a special box in the bathroom so the nice drain monster won't get a tummy ache from stale toes. I forgot the box at home."


End file.
